Folding table.



J. G. GULLEDGE.

FOLDING TABLE- APPLICATION FILED APR- IL I916- 1,220,417, Patented Mar. 27,1917.

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TTNTTEE JOHN G. GULLEDGE, OF MARSHVILLE 1V CAROLINA.

. FOLDING TABLE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27', 1917.

Application filed April 17, 1916. Serial No. 91,814.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JorrN G. GULLEDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at h larshville, in the county of Union and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to folding tables and has for its primary object to provide a table of simple and durable construction which may be very compactly folded when not in use and stored away in a relatively small space.

Another object is to provide a table with a longitudinally divided top so that when the table is folded, the upper faces of the top are positioned adjacent to and in contact with each other to more fully protect those faces.

Broadly stated, the invention comprises a longitudinally divided top, hingedly connected together, a plurality of legs com posed of rigid and movable sections, the rigid sections being attached'to the top and the movable sections hingedly connected to the rigid sections, means to secure the several parts in their operative relation, and means to secure the several parts when folded, the faces of the top being positioned adjacent and in contact with each other, to prevent them from becoming marred.

A practical form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is :1V bottom plan view of the device folded;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the table folded;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the folded table.

The table is provided with a suitable top, which is divided longitudinally so as to make two parts to the top which are numbered 4 and 5. v The parts 4: and 5 are secured to suitable side ledges 6 and end ledges 7. Upon each half of the divided top, one side ledge is connected to two end ledges. Positioned in the angle formed by one of the side ledges and one of the end ledges, there is the rigid portion of the leg 8. This portion or section may be secured in any suitable manner to the ledges and the one end is adapted to abut against the top of the table. The other end is made 16 is pivotally mounted preferably flush with the lower edges of the le ges. The movable section of the leg 9 is hingedly connected in any suitable mar nor to the rigid section 8. One form of hinge is shown at 10, by means of which the movable section 9 is adapted to be positioned against the side ledge 6 and abutting against one of the top sections. The manner of their movement is fully illustrated in Fig. l, which shows the several movable sections of the legs in their folded position against the side ledges. The leg sections 9 are retained in their folded positions by means of the hooks ll suitably connected at one of their ends to the fixed leg sections 8 and adapted for engagement at their other ends in eyes secured to the leg sections 9.

o maintain the movable sections of the legs in their extended or operative positions, suitable locking means may be provided such as the hooks 12. These hooks are preferably connected to the end ledges and adapted to engage in eyes secured to the leg section 9. This means of fastening maintains the leg sections 9 in contact with the rigid sections 8 in a secure manner as the leg hinge is so positioned that its axis is transverse of the table.

The top sections of the table are connected together for relative movement by means of the link plates indicated at 13 which are pivoted at one of their ends. as at 14, to the end edges of the respective table top sections. The other ends of these links are pivotally connected to each other, as at 15, said pivots being disposed substantially in line with the inner edges of the table top sections. By the provision of these pivoted link connections between the top sections of the table, said sections may be moved relative to each other in setting up the table or folding the same without liability of any binding action between said top sections.

When the table has been unfolded and the several parts have been positioned and the legs have been secured against movement, a suitable locking means must be provided to maintain the top in a flat condition. One form of locking means is illustrated by the flat notched lock bar 16. One of these bars at one end upon one of the ledges 7 of each table top section, as indicated at 17, and adjacent to its opposite end said locking bar is provided in one edge with a. notch 18 to receive a pin 19 fixed in the ledge 7 of the other table top preferably positioned upon the under-side of the end ledges and when they are in looking engagement, provlde a suitable support across the point of separation of the ledges.

lVhen the table is in its folded position, as indicated by the end elevation shown in Fig. 2, suitable locking means may be employed to retain the two sections of the top in abutting engagement. One form of locking means is illustrated by means of the bent hook 2O cooperating with the pin 21. The hook is preferably located upon the under-side of one of the top sections in such a position that it will extend across the outer edges of the two sections of the top and cooperate with the pin 21 which is positioned upon the under-side of the adjacent top section.

Minor changes in form and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claim.

Vhat I claim is:

The herein described folding table including two top sections having their end edges recessed, the recesses in the corresponding ends of the top sections communicating with each other when said sections are disposed in the same plane, and a pair of supporting links connecting the table top sections at their opposite ends, each of the links being pivoted at one of its ends in one end of the recess in one top section, the other ends of the links in each pair being pivotally connected to each other. said links being disposed in parallel relation to the top sections of the table when said sections are dis posed in the same horizontal plane and flush with the end edges of said top sections.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. GULLEDGE. WVitnesses J. L. SMITH,

H. M. BANCOM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by; addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G, 

